Experience and Accreditation
- Are you (the plastic surgeon) certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS)?
Receiving board certification from the ABPS signifies that the plastic surgeon has met rigorous criteria established by the board regarding education, training and ethics. Be skeptical of a surgeon who is certified by a board other than the ABPS, as the physician likely does not have the specific plastic surgery training required to perform your procedure.
- How long have you been in practice?
Although a plastic surgeon may be exceptionally skilled when first starting out on his or her career path, it is best if your surgeon has several years of previous experience.
- How many of these procedures have you performed?
Likewise, you most likely do not want to be the first patient for whom your surgeon has performed your chosen procedure.
- What is your patient satisfaction rate; may I see before-and-after photos of patients who have undergone the same procedure as mine?
Plastic surgeons with a high patient satisfaction rate will be happy to share before-and-after photos of their patients with you. Be wary of a surgeon who does not want to share their patient photo gallery with you.
- At which hospital(s) do you have admitting privileges?
Like being certified by the ABPS, earning admitting privileges to a reputable, local hospital signifies that your surgeon has met the strict criteria regarding training and experience set forth by the hospital and has earned approval from the decision-making committee. Just make sure that your surgeon has admitting privileges for the procedure that you are pursuing. For instance, your liposuction surgeon should have admitting privileges for liposuction, or plastic surgery in general — not for an unrelated procedure or medical specialty.
- Is your operating facility accredited by an established ambulatory accreditation organization?
In addition to ensuring that your plastic surgeon has the proper credentials, it is important to make sure that the surgical facility where your operation will be performed is properly accredited by a reputable institution. Earning ambulatory accreditation by an established organization demonstrates the operating facility has passed certain standards in regard to equipment, staffing, sanitation, safety protocols, etc.
The Procedure
- What should I do before surgery to help optimize my aesthetic results from the procedure?
- What can I expect during the procedure?
- What is the recovery period like?
- What should I do after surgery to help optimize my aesthetic results?
For More Information
To schedule a personal consultation with one of the board-certified plastic surgeons of Atlanta Plastic & Reconstructive Specialists to learn more about the surgeon, facility and your chosen procedure, contact us by calling (404) 255-2975 .